RESUMEN
Background: Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Bangladesh implemented strict non-therapeutic measures, i.e., "social distancing," "lockdown," "work from home," in the first quarter of 2020. Like other professionals, teachers at schools, colleges and universities were confined within households. However, the introduction of online education imposed an additional burden on teachers along with growing household responsibilities, thus, affecting their psychological state. Aims: This study was aimed to explore the prevalence of mental health problems among teachers in Bangladesh and to identify the associated risk factors. Methods: This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Data were collected from 381 teachers working at schools, colleges, and universities between 01 August and 29 August 2021 by administering a self-reported e-questionnaire using Google Form, where the mental health of teachers was assessed by depression, anxiety, and stress scale. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 26) and STATA Version 16, and multiple linear regression was executed to predict mental health problems among teachers. Results: The findings indicate that the overall prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among teachers was 35.4%, 43.7%, and 6.6%, respectively. The prevalence was higher among male and older teachers than among their female and younger colleagues. The findings further showed that place of residence, institution, self-reported health, usage of social and electronic media, and fear of COVID-19 significantly influenced the mental health status of teachers. Conclusion: It is strongly recommended that the government and policymakers provide proper mental health services to teachers in order to reduce mental health problems and thus sustain the quality of education during and after the pandemic.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Infection with COVID-19 and its control entailing steroids and immunomodulatory medications disrupted normal immune function. The ensuing immunological disorder led to the rise of another infection-Black Fungus (Mucormycosis). However, the spread of Black Fungus can be minimized through proper knowledge, informed attitude, and conscious preventive practice. This study aimed to assess students' knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding Black Fungus amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out among Bangladeshi students from June to July 2021. Using Google Forms, an e-questionnaire was developed for this web-based survey, and the participants were selected through a snowball sampling approach. RESULTS: Out of the 2009 participants, more than half were female (53.5%), and the majority were at an age between 18 and 25 years (31.5%) and had received higher secondary (HSC) schooling (77.8%), while around 61% resided in urban areas. Findings revealed that most of the students (63.8%) spent around 2 h on electronic and social media to become informed about COVID-19 and Black Fungus. Approximately 33% of the students showed low KAP scores (32.9%), whereas around 26% had high KAP scores. Our results show a significant association between KAP and sex, schooling, living status, residence, and media exposure. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of Black Fungus considerably varies among Bangladeshi students considering the place of residence, age, sex, living arrangement, and media exposure. Policymakers should emphasize awareness among people focusing on the results of this study to increase deterrent attitudes and protective practices to minimize the risks of being infected.